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Egypt re-opens Rafah crossing

Gesture will allow patients, students and visa-holders to leave besieged Gaza Strip.

28 Jun 2009 00:40 GMT

The crossing was to remain open for three days [AFP]

"We are prepared and ready [to operate the crossing] according to arrangements undertaken with our Egyptian brothers, the Europeans, the presidential guard [of Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president] and the [Hamas-run] government."

Egypt has consistently rejected pressure to open its border with the Gaza Strip permanently, insisting it can only do so when the Abbas' authority has been restored.

An international agreement signed by Israel and Abbas' Palestinian Authority in 2005 provided for EU monitoring of all traffic across the border and the installation of Israeli security cameras.